Buckling pavement at Canton Woods

Canton Woods Senior Center has lost use of 20-plus parking spots in its rear lot.

The lot has begun to buckle due to an insufficient base and excess snow. In addition, while being plowed this winter, the lot suffered more damage as part of the pavement was ripped up.

“The appearance of those heaves looks like people are buried under [the lot],” Village Engineer Tim Baker said at a recent village of Baldwinsville board meeting.

To prevent visitors from parking in the lot and potentially tripping on the heaved pavement, the lot has been barricaded until repairs can be made. However, without the lot, there is insufficient parking at the center on certain days.

According to the senior center’s Director Ruth Troy, who said the lot is a pressing issue, especially considering the increased activity at the center, two weeks ago, many visitors were forced to park along Canton Street as the regular lot was full.

Officials for the village of Baldwinsville and the towns of Van Buren and Lysander have discussed solutions to the matter (through inter-municipal cooperation, the three municipalities share responsibility for the senior center). The main obstacle to repairing the lot though is funding, which Van Buren officials estimated would have a total project cost of $81,000 according to the town’s Community Development application, which included a grant application for lot repairs; however, that money would not be available until next year. Village Engineer Baker said one solution would be to pull up the black top and put gravel down for the meantime until the funds can be secured to repave the lot. As of yet, there has been no solution to the matter.